The Ex Came Back: A Roleplay
The Roleplay Date Crashers "You see, River, there are very few things in this world more beautiful than a flammard," he said. The silence of the Hadgerstaad Forest of Overmorrow was interrupted by his words, which came out with a smooth European flair. It was a steely, deep baritone voice, but it was soft and gentle, at least for whom he was speaking to. As he continued his speech, the many elm and eucalyptus trees were swaying in the gentle breeze of the afternoon; that was the only noise in this clearing of the forest aside from this man and his partner, although the former was doing most of the talking. He was almost the height of some of the trees, dark-furred and brooding. Most of his appearance was neatly put together aside from his messy mop of hair. The rest of his prim and proper outfit was strewn aside under a tree; all he was wearing was a thin black turtleneck. He was twirling his own sword in his hands, a wide and thin broadsword emanating dark shadow energy. "… And that is why you must take the utmost care in handling swords. They are very delicate. Not quite as beautiful and delicate as you, but–" He paused and realized for how long he had been droning on, and smiled cheekily. Obviously, smiling wasn't something he was used to; the smile was more like baring his teeth than anything. "Apologies. You have been forced to listen to me for a while." He approached the girl and held out his sword to her. "Would you like a go at it, and then I take you through the motions?" "I'll give it my best, Upsilon," his partner answered. She bunched up her blue, wavy quills back and wrapped a black band around them, making a ponytail. Her hands gently grasped the blade's hilt, but wouldn't carry it any further without his guidance. She only stared up to him with those kind dark eyes of hers, admiring his words, and his awkward, cute smile. She would have admired him forever if she could. But that was foolish. She returned her focus to the blade, and kept the point downward and close to her body to avoid any accidents. She smiled back at him, "And... don't apologize, I like hearing your voice. Heehee, and your rambles..." "I am glad someone does." Upsilon took her in his arms, lining up his with hers, and guiding her into the perfect Alber stance to begin. Despite how large his hands and body were and how he almost seemed to eclipse her with his tall, dark personage, his hands as he held her were gentle and almost caressed her. "Try a feint then." A feint... a... feint? What was a feint? Did he say faint? No, no he couldn't have, Upsilon wouldn't tell her to pass out and collapse right here. River had heard him use the word before but she never got around to asking what it meant. Even then, she had still seen him train with this sword, so she could make an educated guess. She rolled back her shoulders, tightened her grip, and thrust the sword forward into the air. Upsilon chuckled in delight and kissed the back of River's neck affectionately. "Have you been taking notes? That was perfection. … Alright. I knew you could perform a feint just fine. I only wanted to hold you like this for a little while." Hearing this, River lowered the sword and leaned back into him. She giggled, and nuzzled her head close to his chest. “You can hold me as long as you’d like,” she said, “And, well, I learned from watching you.” "I would not advise giving me that much power," Upsilon murmured gently. With a flick of his wrist, the shadow broadsword dissipated into thin air. He took River's now-empty hand and held it in his own, running his thumb over all of her fingers tenderly. "I would hold you all day if I could." The girl let out a wistful, loving sigh. With his hand in hers she gently lifted it close to her chest, near her heart. She lifted her face just a little, getting on her toes from his height, and gently kissed his cheek. “You really are a romantic,” He grinned. "I try to be." Before he could say anything else, a noise could be heard from one of the bushes a couple yards behind them: the swaying of leaves. Almost in a second, Upsilon changed his position to protect River from that direction, and his sword was drawn and pointed at the shrubbery almost instantaneously. His eyes narrowed into a glare. "What was that?" The bush continued rustling, a bird flew out of the foliage, and then it stopped. River’s tensed shoulders released, and she shrugged, “Hmm, it must have been the wildlife-” Before she knew it, something dark, something scruffy and scrappy and taller than her leapt out of the forest. The shadows fell over its face, and the only clear thing River could see were bright, piercing blue eyes. Eyes that she was all too familiar with. Her body locked up again, and she stepped back to Upsilon. But this stranger gave a toothy smile. “Riv!” He called out. When he straightened his posture more of the light fell upon him, exposing his large ears, long tail, and especially bright pink claws on his finger tips. He winked and snapped a finger, “Sorry for my absence, sweetheart. I just got another episode, y’know?” When he finally noticed Upsilon, he laughed and put his finger on the tip of his sword and gently pushed it down. “Hey, cool it. Another friend of Riv’s? Nice to meet ya, name’s Mayhem, I’m her boyfriend.” River clenched her teeth, unable to choose between being shocked or being furious. “N-No you’re-“ But Mayhem didn’t really care what she had to say. He knew she would be surprised. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, romantically carressing her cheek, and began to move to place his lips upon hers… Upsilon snatched Mayhem's hand and kept his grip tight around the wrist of it, looking back and forth between Mayhem and River, utterly confused. Was he supposed to be upset? Protective? Was this actually her boyfriend, or not? "How come I have never heard of you before?" he asked, his focus now settling on Mayhem. Upsilon already couldn't stand his face. "There must be some confusion here. I was under the impression that I was her '' romantic partner…" Mayhem felt his grip around his wrist and growled, yanking his hand back and stepping away. He looked between the man and River, trying to sort this out. But eventually his gaze settled on the girl, “What, you… you’ve been cheating on me?” “N-No!” River finally stomped her foot down. She took to Upsilon’s side, and glared at their interruptor. “We stopped dating over four months ago. We aren’t together anymore, okay?” Mayhem’s shoulders dropped, he felt like a balloon pricked by a needle. “What?! What are you talking about? We never broke up! I just had to leave for a while-“ “For four months? And you… you didn’t even say where you were going, you didn’t tell me goodbye, you didn’t even leave a note.” She turned her body away from him, but still gave him a side-eye. “I’m not stupid. I know what ''ghosting is.” “But that doesn’t mean I broke up!” He shouted, “Didn’t you even try to contact me?” “I did!” River shouted back and clenched her fists, “I wrote letters, I called you, I even sailed out to try and find you! But…” she looked away now, “You were never there. So I moved on. I’m with someone else now.” Mayhem looked up from her and he stared at the tall mink backing her up. He suddenly felt a gross taste in his mouth. His body felt like fire barely contained. “Are you kidding me? You just snatched her up as soon as she was open?” "I had not the faintest idea that she had just been in a relationship," the mink answered back hoarsely. "It sounds like you need to leave, and that you have no business with her." “Oh, I’m sorry, am I ruining your little date?” Mayhem snarled, trying to mock them. But no one was moved, and River only turned the other cheek. “Yes, you are.” She sighed, and put her attention back on Upsilon. She reached out for his hand and gently grasped it, “Look, let’s just… go somewhere else. I’m really sorry about this…” Mayhem’s hair puffed up in rage, “What are you apologizing to him for?! He’s not the one who just lost his girlfriend!” Upsilon smirked; he wanted to egg this stranger on a bit more. "It sounds like you did not have a girlfriend in the first place…" Mayhem’s hair fell over his face, and his fur was straight on edge. River backed up, holding tighter onto Upsilon’s hand. Even when they were together, she had never seen him so furious before. He was usually far more level-headed, but this… this was unprecedented. “I… I’m sorry, but we’re going now.” “Like hell you are! I’ve done so much for you, I’ve supported and protected you!” He growled. His clawed hands spread out, and with total reckless abandon, ran and went to lash at the both of them. This was too easy. Upsilon brought out his dark sword in a flash once more, and held it by its handle against Mayhem's claws, blocking him from River's path. With a little force, he swung the sword on its blunt side at Mayhem to push him away. "What on earth are you doing–!? You believe she wants to get back with someone who just tried to attack her?" Mayhem was shoved to the ground and landed on his back with a heavy thud. When he looked back up, all he saw was the dark mink glaring at him, and River flinching away in fear. He was crushed, all he could do now was carefully get back up on his feet. He glared, bared his teeth, yet he seemed to be shaking a little. An incomprehensible grumble came from him until he quickly ran off in the other direction, gone in a flash. A quiet, slow breath released from River's lungs. She only put herself even closer to Upsilon, and held tightly onto his arm, "I... I'm really sorry. I didn't know he would be so... aggressive," she looked to both of her sides in the forest, fearing that her former partner may be lingering still, "Look, let's just leave, please..." "You are right," Upsilon replied hoarsely. He went over to retrieve his knight-wear and began to put it back on. "But, I would like an explanation as to who he is, your relations and history with him, and how he knew you would be here…" River now put a hand on her own arm, sighing heavily and rubbing her shoulder. As he was dressing, she began to elaborate. "His name is Mayhem, and I used to date him earlier this year. It was a... what's the word..." she paused to think, "An on-and-off relationship? We would meet at strange places and sometimes he would disappear for a few days, maybe a week, but he always came back." Suddenly, she felt a weight on her body, but there was nothing there, physically anyway. But she felt this, and she had to turn away, "Until... well, he left for a really long time. Didn't give me a note, or a warning, nothing. I searched for him after so many months, and then... I thought he left me. That he didn't want me anymore, so... I went on my own for a while and, well," she looked back to Upsilon, holding a weak little smile, "I saw the great guy I was missing out on." The girl now held her hands together, looking down at them. "When we were together, he always knew how to find me, somehow. He never explained how, but I think it might be because he's a canine, and maybe he could track me through scent..." Upsilon lowered his head and clenched his fists, which were beginning to tremble. Anger was slowly filling him up. Why was he feeling this way? He hadn't the faintest idea. Why had River moved on so quickly? What was that phrase his sister used? Was he a rebound? "Why… why did you not tell me about this? When was the last time you saw him…?" River took note of how he was moving, and suddenly she began to fill with a sense of dread. She looked away, “The last time I saw him was four months ago. Probably even longer than that…” She felt like closing in on herself. “I… I didn’t say anything because it still hurt. But you were there for me. You’ve always been reliable, and actually stable… I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about him. I should have been clear from the beginning…” Before Upsilon could say much else, another sound could be heard deep within the forest. It wasn't the rustling of bushes as someone tried to hide; it was loud and sounded like it was coming from multiple people. Suddenly, three figures approached him and River in the clearing. Two were men in silver armor so sterling, it was almost white, and the last person was, simply put, a princess. She didn't wear a crown on her head, but it was easy to tell from the immaculate clothes to the tulle and train flowing out from the dress, to the perfectly wavy golden locks spilling down her back. One of the men in armor spoke now, his face expressionless: "Lady and gentleman, please bow for her majesty Princess Dawn Maron of the Kuikon Kingdom." Upsilon tensed up. What on earth was she ''doing here? He knew the protocol though. As much as he hated this, he got on one knee and knelt before her, and looked pointedly at River. The woman smiled in contempt seeing Upsilon grovel, and looked over to River, eager to see what she would do. "I hope I wasn't interrupting something." River quickly looked to Upsilon, and then back to this mysterious princess. She didn't know what that word meant- bow? Bao? She had to figure out something quick, she couldn't just stand there and look like an idiot! It would be downright shameful. Mimicking Upsilon seemed like the safest option, but she knew that he always showed the utmost politeness. Maybe it would be fine if she kept it more casual. After all, ''princess likely isn't that sacred of a title, is it? The girl kept on her feet, and simply waved her hand in a friendly manner at the other girl. "Oh, um, hello! It's nice to meet you Miss!" The guards gasped slightly at this, and Upsilon's eyes widened as he frantically tried to motion for her to mimic his own motions. But Dawn seemed to find delight in River's response and laughed lightly. "You're a funny one! Upsilon, you've found a very entertaining friend." She smiled down at River with a sickly sweet smile. "I'm Princess Dawn Maron, Upsilon's bride-to-be. Who are you, darling? You're really funny, I might have to invite you to our wedding just for laughs." “Wedding?” River’s smile dropped. She looked between the princess and Upsilon, trying to read whatever was going on in the minds of these two. Although she still wasn’t perfect at english, and she still had much to learn from this land’s culture, she knew at least one thing. Out here, lovers only remain with each other. To have anyone else while taken is taboo. A sense of fear washed over her shoulders and she backed up closer to the mink. “I don’t understand, Upsilon and I are already dating. Is your kingdom, erm… polyamorous?” Dawn tensed up and froze. "D-…D-''Dating!?"'' Upsilon winced. This was going to be a tough one to explain. He got up from his kneeling and addressed the two women. "Princess Dawn and I used to be in a relationship, but… we stopped courting over a year ago." Upsilon stood closer to River and held her hand protectively. "River and I, we are together right now. Gaiagon does not practice polyamory… I'm hers." Dawn practically hissed. "Since when did this relationship happen!? What even is she?! A princess?" River flinched merely from the sting of Dawn’s words. Turns out her and Upsilon weren’t that different as she once thought. Still standing her ground, she gestured to herself. “My name is River. I’m not a princess, but I’m a lot of other things!” She tried to smile, “For starters, I’m sort of a sailor…” "Oh." Dawn rolled her eyes and glared at River. "So you're a pirate then? He went from the future queen of an entire kingdom, to a swashbuckling pirate?" “Ah, a… a pirate? No, no I don’t steal anything! I only sail to explore, I mean, no wait, uh…” River found herself stuttering like an absolute fool. She wanted to hide behind her own quills. “I’m not from around here, I’m sorry…” "A foreigner! Even better!" Dawn threw her hands up and rolled her eyes. "Where are you from anyways?" River felt like a clam being forced open; she didn't want to just spill out all her information right here, but how else would she save face? She placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm from... Ali'ikai. I know what I said probably sounds like nonsense, but, it's a small island. Um, it probably isn't on any of your maps if they haven't been updated in the past five years..." Dawn looked to her guards with a knowing look. Then she looked back at Upsilon. "You found sea trash and made it your mistress?" This whole time, Upsilon had been clenching his fists and physically biting his tongue in order to prevent himself from saying something he would regret. But "trash?" He couldn't sit still any longer. "Dawn, you know very well this is unnecessary, and you know very well how foolish and petty you seem for grasping at such low-brow insults. We have been separated for a year now, and River… she is my partner. Not my mistress." Dawn smiled creepily at River, not even making eye contact with the mink the whole time he was speaking. "You know, in Gaiagon's history, mistresses be put to death for interfering with a royal marriage… I don't know what primitive tribe you come from, but between our two countries, you don't fuck who you want and expect no repercussions." The girl couldn't even look at Dawn in the eye anymore. She knew that if she did, she may just tremble and feel the need to collapse from embarrassment and fear. River only stuck closer to Upsilon, wanting to hide behind him, but if she did that then she would only look even more pathetic. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to risk being hurt, and she didn't want Upsilon to suffer for anything else. She reached down to his hand, and gently, but firmly, grasped it. "Um, Uppy, I really, really think we need to leave..." Upsilon took River's hand and walked off from the way they came, opposite Dawn and her knights. He could hear her screaming behind them, throwing taunts this way and that, but he ignored them, and instead turned to River and grimaced. "Jesus, River… I am so sorry. I had no clue she was even coming… if you need me to explain…" River only held his hand tighter, and yet, felt like she couldn't look him in the eyes. They were both embarrassed, and though she knew they shared the same emotions right now, this would be difficult to navigate. She had to do something. Mustering up some courage, she finally moved to meet Upsilon's gaze, and gently pulled him a little closer towards herself. "I... ah, it's okay. With Mayhem, a-and her so soon after, I'm having a bit of um... 'whip-splash'? It's a lot at once..." she then sighed, "Dawn... seems like a handful. Are you okay after all that?" Upsilon sighed heavily. Seeing Dawn then brought up a whole bunch of memories and guilt he didn't feel like dealing with. "She is most certainly a handful. I am fine… I am more worried about you, though, and what she said to you." River nudged her shoulder up against his. Her gaze returned to her feet. “Y-Yeah… I mean, her comments were rude, no denying that. I should have known she’d use what I’d say against me…” now, her body felt cold, and locked up. “She wasn’t serious, right…? About the whole… marriage thing, or the ‘being executed for dating you’ thing too…” "Oh… erm… she was telling the truth," Upsilon looked away quickly, twiddling his thumbs. "H-However! We are neither married nor betrothed… so it is extremely unlikely you would be put to death for being in a relationship with me. What an outrageous, archaic law. I will go about changing it one day…" Suddenly all the pressure that had built up in River's chest was released in one go with a quick 'whew'. She knew that Upsilon wouldn't have been hiding another relationship from her, but the confirmation always feels nice. She felt a tad selfish, wanting him all for herself. "It sounds like she hasn't moved on from her time with you either..." her gaze trailed off to the side, "And... thank you. For standing up for me. I was too embarrassed to really talk back to her." "I apologize I did not do so earlier," Upsilon looked down at River and offered his hand to her, as he knew he had some explaining to do. "Dawn… all she wants is to merge the territories of Gaiagon and the Kuikon Kingdom together; she simply wants more power. That is the only reason she is insistent on us wedding. Otherwise… I am of no use to her." River grabbed his hand, and while she loved his safe and inviting grasp, she couldn't help but feel disgust when she heard this reasoning. She found her hold on him only tighter as she mulled over this information. "That... that's awful! I can't believe that's, just, well, a thing that happens!" Suddenly, she realized how she sounded. She shouldn't be sounding this way, so angry. She took a breath, and sighed, "It... it feels disgraceful, to only be together for territory reasons. And if she wanted power so bad, why isn't she going for the actual king of this country?" Upsilon patted her hand gently, echoing her disgust. "Well, Our Majesty King Balavan is quite… erm. He is an older man, you see, and he is making moves to pass on the crown soon, anyway. So she is preemptively staking her claim on me." "But you're not-" River paused. She spent a moment, connecting the dots in her head, until suddenly she was able to come to a possible realization, "Y-You're secretly a prince? And you're Balavan's son?! But, you aren't- you look nothing alike!" "Ah, erm… no. I am his head knight, and we have had conversations about passing the crown onto me, whenever he decides is best for him, and for me. I am still indeed a mink… and certainly not blood-related to King Balavan. Prince-in-waiting, perhaps… but that sounds a little pompous of a title, hm?" River wanted to slap herself as soon as she heard this. Of course, leave it to her to spout something so ridiculous. "Oh, oh my gosh I am so sorry, haha... ha. I just, I didn't think you'd be next in line, it caught me off guard. But you really could become king?" Upsilon smiled kindly; she was so cute when she got flustered. "Yes, and it is not a 'could' situtation. It is more of a 'will' – a very definite happening. I apologize if that is a lot to take in?"